Fourth and Lennox
by Kla1987
Summary: AU Dacey fic, set in a different Green Grove. Danny is a professor at a local college, where Lacey is a student. When they meet, two worlds collide in a way that neither of them is prepared for, and it leaves them both forever changed. Romance, drama, angst, love - you know, the usual. Don't own Twisted, just borrowing them for now (no Jo though - they can keep her). Enjoy!
1. Chapter 1

**AN: Hey guys – welcome to my new story! This is an AU Dacey fic (aren't they all at this point), based on the premise that Danny is a professor at a local college where Lacey is a student. **

**Before you guys come for me for not being original, let me say that I am more than aware that this is not a new plot line. I have seen other fandoms try this type of story to varying levels of success, but I've not yet seen it done in the Twisted universe (feel free to point me in the direction of one if it exists – I love reading new stories). I'm writing this story as a challenge to myself, to see if I can take an idea that's been done several times over and make it fresh and entertaining. **

**That said, I hope that you all like it, and I welcome your feedback (positive or negative). Anyway – on with the show! **

**Chapter One**

Danny strolled into the coffee shop late on Tuesday afternoon. He had spent the last week becoming acclimated to his new life in his new town, and he looked forward to starting his new job tomorrow. Danny was a 28 year old Master's level instructor of English. He had relocated to Green Grove, New York to take an associate professor's position at the small but prestigious liberal arts school, Brentley College. He was working on his dissertation in order to obtain his Ph.D. in English, and felt that the close-knit Brentley community would be the perfect place to do so. Also, the fact that his new position was tenure-track meant that he would achieve permanent residency within three years, provided that he maintained satisfactory progress in the eyes of the administration during that time. All of this was a far cry from the life of chaos he had chosen to leave behind in New York City, and he looked forward to Green Grove's simplicity and stability.

Danny smiled at the barista as he completed his order, handing her money for his purchase and dropping the change she gave him into the tip jar at the corner of the register. Once he received his beverage, he spent the next few minutes browsing the selection in the attached bookstore. He idly strolled up and down each aisle, scanning the myriad of titles in an attempt to locate something that would interest him.

The stacks were nearly empty at this time of the evening, and Danny enjoyed the quietness of the area. He became so distracted by his searching that he did not notice the woman sitting on the floor until he had literally stumbled over her.

"What the…" Danny said as he hit the floor, spilling his coffee and hitting his knee on the hardwood floor. "Oh my God, I'm so sorry," was all he heard as he felt a sharp and jagged pain sear through his leg. He was blinded temporarily by the pain, and he hoped seriously that his knee was not broken.

"Are you okay? Let me help you up…" Danny heard the voice of the woman, and he looked up to see her standing over him, extending her hand. He grasped her small hand lightly to balance himself as he stood, wincing slightly as he put weight on his injured knee. He straightened his clothes and attempted to right himself as he watched in amusement the woman in front of him. Once she'd helped him up, she immediately busied herself with cleaning up his spilled coffee and gathering her books, dropping one again in her hurry. He bent down just as she did, and their heads collided, causing them both to laugh as they realized the ridiculousness of the situation.

"Well, if this isn't the most awkward encounter I've ever had with a woman," Danny said lightly as he reached again for her book, this time retrieving it for her.

"Well, awkward is pretty much my middle name," the woman responded, laughing nervously and smoothing her hair.

"Last Exit to Brooklyn, huh?" he inquired, studying the cover before handing the text back to her. "That's one of my favorites, actually. How are you liking it so far?"

"I actually haven't started on it yet," she said, taking the volume from him, her fingers brushing against his just barely before tucking the volume back into her bag.

The touch was brief but electric, so much so that it made Danny actually look up for the first time at the woman in front of him. What he saw when he did so took his breath away. Before him was the most stunningly gorgeous woman he'd ever laid eyes on. He took in her tawny brown skin and lithe frame, clothed casually in black leggings and a slouchy turquoise tunic. Her dark, expressive eyes were framed in a pair of ruby cat's eye glasses, and her long dark hair was thrown haphazardly on top of her head in a curly messy bun. She smiled a brilliant smile at him, revealing perfect white teeth, but soon bit her bottom lip nervously as he stared at her too long. Worried that he'd made her uncomfortable, Danny quickly regained his composure, extending his hand to introduce himself.

"I'm sorry, I don't think we had a chance to become properly introduced during all of that – I'm Danny."

She smiled again at his introduction, taking his hand and responding, "Hello Danny, I'm Lacey – nice to meet you."

The two of them again stood in awkward silence for a moment, smiling and blushing like a pair of teenagers, before Lacey decided to remedy the situation. "So, I guess I ruined your coffee – sorry about that. Would you like to let me buy you another one, and then you can tell me all about 'Last Exit to Brooklyn'?"

Danny easily obliged her request, happy to have the opportunity to continue talking with her further. He followed her over to the counter, placing another order with the barista as Lacey placed one of her own, and then scouting out a quiet place for the two of them to sit and enjoy their beverages together. He found a sofa and chair toward the back of the reading area, and beckoned Lacey to follow him as he made his way back there with their drinks. He sunk into one of the plush leather club chairs, allowing her to take the sofa, and handed her the coffee.

"So," he began, "what brings you in tonight?" Although her initial invitation had been to discuss the book, he felt compelled to know more about Lacey herself. She had intrigued him in just the few moments that they had interacted with one another, and he wanted to get to know her on a more personal level.

"Well," she said casually, "I'm actually here to check out the newest books they've gotten in. New shipments come on Tuesdays, and so this is kind of my Tuesday night ritual." Clearly embarrassed at her own admission, she began to blush, and Danny couldn't help but to notice the slight stirring he felt within himself as he watched the warmth spread across her tanned cheeks. He briefly wondered what other things would make her flush like that, but quickly shook the thought from his mind.

He opened his mouth to ask her another question, but she quickly interrupted him. "So, tell me about 'Last Exit to Brooklyn'," Lacey said, steering the conversation away from the more personal questions she anticipated he would ask. She was already enamored with the man in front of her, and she wanted it to last a little while longer. She knew that once he realized she wasn't as much fun as most of the college girls around town, he would move on, but for now she had his attention and she didn't want to let her nerd-like tendencies ruin it.

Instead she listened intently as he spoke animatedly about the book. He told her the basics of what it was about, a series of six lesser stories depicting the lives of various people living in Brooklyn, NY. He talks about the gritty style the author uses to tell the story and about the authenticity of the work. The way he talks about it makes Lacey more and more excited to read the book, and she can't help but wonder why Danny talks about the book as if it were his own story. She doesn't ask him about it though, because asking would invite questions of his own, which she did not want to answer tonight.

Danny noticed Lacey's evasion each time he delved into questions regarding anything outside of the books. He understood, however, that maybe she didn't want to go into all of that with someone she'd only just met. Under usual circumstances, he wouldn't be eager to discuss anything personal either. However, something about Lacey only made him more and more curious about her as the night wore on. Not wanting to scare her away, he settled for getting to know her through the books that she read. Surprisingly enough, he was able to glean a great deal of information from her choice in literature. He could immediately tell that she was a voracious reader, and that she probably loved books as much or more than he did (something he found incredibly sexy). He also determined that she had a very romantic heart, and that she was sharp and bright. She was also very realistic, as evidenced by her love for books that depicted true love stories instead of fairy tales – even though they didn't always end with a happily ever after. He wondered if her heart had been broken, and if that's what gave her an affinity for books that didn't always have a happy ending.

They talked for hours on end, only stopping when interrupted by the lights flickering in the building, alerting them that it was now closing time. Danny hated to see the night end, but knew that he needed to go home to prepare for the next day. As he and Lacey gathered their things to leave, he grabbed her hand briefly to get her attention.

"I really enjoyed meeting you tonight, Lacey," he said earnestly, his dark eyes looking deep into hers to convey his sincerity.

"Thanks, Danny. I really enjoyed meeting you, too," she said, blushing again as a small smile spread across her face.

"I would really like to see you again, if you'd be interested," he said, silently praying that she would say yes.

"I would like that very much," she said with surety, getting ready to walk away. "You should call me some time."

"Wait though, I don't have your number," he said, grabbing his things as he followed her retreating form.

"Sure you do," she said, turning to smile at him over her shoulder, "Just look in the front of your book."

And with that, Lacey disappeared out the door and into the night. Danny stood just outside the coffee shop, slightly flummoxed as he tried to figure out which way he could go to catch up with her. Frustrated that she had managed to evade him, he ran his hands through his shoulder length black hair, shaking his head at the bizarre turn of events. He made his way home, wondering all the while what book she was talking about.

When he got to his apartment, he emptied his messenger bag of its contents, noticing that there was something extra inside. A volume of "The Gentleman's Guide to Dating a Blerd" lay on the table in front of him, and he couldn't help but smile. He had no idea when she had been able to slip this into his bag, but he had to admit that he admired her creativity. He immediately opened the book to the inside cover, and saw that she had written her number there and a smiley face – nothing more. He got ready for bed that night thinking about the beautiful girl from the coffee shop and looking forward to the next time he would see her.


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey guys! Thank you for the feedback to this story - so far it has been positive, and I want you to know I really appreciate your input! Also, I'm working on the next chapter of "Dangerous" and should have it to you soon. Enjoy!**

**Chapter Two**

Lacey woke the next morning feeling excited about the day ahead. She was looking forward to the first day of classes, and more importantly, to starting her work-study assignment in the English Department today. Lacey was a 20 year old student at Brentley, preparing to begin her junior year at the college. She was an English major, and had a goal of becoming an English teacher when she graduated. She was at the top of her class academically, which had awarded her the distinct honor of being only one of three undergraduate students selected to serve as teaching aids to the English Department over the course of the academic year. She did not yet know which professor she had been assigned to work with, as the department had gone through some personnel changes over the summer break, but she was confident that she would get along well with whomever they chose for her.

If Lacey was being honest with herself, she would also have to admit that part of the reason for her good mood that morning was her encounter with the man from the night before. Danny, she remembered, seemed to be everything she could have wanted in a man. He was smart and charming and funny and he was one of the few men she'd met that could hold his own with her in a discussion about books. He was also devastatingly handsome. She sighed to herself, closing her eyes as she remembered the carefree way he'd looked the night before. His thick dark hair settled loosely around his shoulders, and his destructed jeans and black tee shirt gave him just the right hint of roughness without being intimidating. He had a smile that made her heart flutter and the most perfect lips that she couldn't help but to think of kissing each time she looked at them.

She played the memory of their talk the night before over and over again in her head and she set about getting ready for her day. Her roommate, Sarita, noticed the change in Lacey's demeanor, and was curious as to the reason behind it.

"Someone's excited about the first day of school," the petite Latina woman said sarcastically as she dragged herself past Lacey to the common area of their suite for coffee. "You can't possibly enjoy going to class this much – what gives woman?"

"Nothing," Lacey said lightly, searching her closet for just the right outfit. Today may be the first day of classes, but it was also her first day at her new job, and she wanted to look as professional and put together as possible. "I'm just really glad to be back in the swing of things with school. This summer wasn't the greatest, and so I'm looking forward to having something productive to occupy my time."

Sarita accepted this answer and did not press Lacey any more. She knew that Lacey had had a difficult summer break, having spent the last few months nursing a broken heart after the relationship she'd had with her high school sweetheart ended. Lacey had never told Sarita exactly what happened between her and Archie – she had only said that she finally realized that she "wasn't what he wanted any more", whatever that meant.

Sarita personally thought that Lacey was much too good for Archie, but the girl had been too in love to see what kind of moron he really was. Even though she hated to see her friend hurt, she knew the break up was for the best, and she was pleasantly surprised that Lacey didn't seem even the least bit sad about it today.

"How do I look?" Lacey asked, stepping into the common area from her bedroom and presenting herself to her roommate. Sarita looked Lacey over with appreciation, noting that, although Lacey had lost a bit of weight over the summer, she still had a figure to die for.

"You look like you're about to break some poor guy's heart," Sarita said, causing Lacey to laugh.

"Whatever woman," she said smiling. "I'm not interested in breaking any hearts today – I just want to make a good impression on my first day in the English Department. So seriously, does this look okay?"

Sarita rolled her eyes as she looked Lacey over again. Her friend had chosen a pair of tailored charcoal gray trousers and a sleeveless black silk shell. She had on minimal makeup, and her only jewelry was a pair of antique pearl studs that her grandmother had given her for graduation. She'd straightened her long wavy hair and it was now pulled away from her face, held back by two silver barrettes. She had even chosen to forego glasses today, opting instead for contacts.

"Of course you do – you look sickening, as usual. Now get the hell out of here so I can get ready for class… you make me feel like a troll."

Lacey rolled her eyes at her friend, laughing and kissing her on the forehead as she made her way out of the door. She knew Sarita was just trying to make her feel good, but she'd be lying if she said it hadn't worked. She felt amazing today, and as she headed off to her first class, she couldn't help but let her mind wander through the possibilities of where the day would take her.

* * *

Danny arrived at his new office with his briefcase in hand. As he walked into the building that contained the English Department, he noticed an unusual buzz of electricity flowing through the atmosphere. Faculty and staff strolled by in all directions as everyone went about getting ready for the first day of classes. Danny himself was excited about being back in front of the classroom for the first time in nearly a year, and he looked forward to meeting his students as well as the rest of his colleagues.

As he made his way to his office, Danny noticed the redhead from the other day walking toward him. He struggled to remember the name of the woman, whom he'd met at a faculty luncheon to welcome him and the other new associate professor on board the previous week. He watched as she made her way toward him, strutting purposefully in a pair of stiletto high heels. She arrived in front of him and smiled, looking expectantly at him. For a moment he didn't understand what it was that she wanted, so he smiled awkwardly back at her, unsure of what to do.

"Aren't you going to tell me good morning?" she purred seductively, causing Danny to become more and more uncomfortable by the minute.

"Ummm…. Good morning?" Danny said hesitantly, still struggling to remember her name.

Obviously realizing that he couldn't remember what to call her, the woman took the opportunity to remind him of who she was. "Good morning, Professor Desai, I'm Regina Crane, remember? We met at the luncheon last week – I teach remedial English and English comp."

Danny smiled again, this time projecting more confidence as he shook the Regina's hand. "Yes, of course I remember you Regina. I'm glad you're here – it's nice to see a friendly face or two around here."

Regina smiled coyly, and responded, "Well, Danny, I'm sure you'll have lots of friendly faces smiling at you before the end of the day. However, since I got here first, I think you should let me take you out to lunch to celebrate your first day on the job."

Danny hesitated slightly, unsure of whether to accept her invitation. He'd planned on reaching out to Lacey during his lunch time, and he really didn't want to be distracted by this Regina today. Still, he knew it was important for him to establish a positive rapport with his colleagues if he was planned on staying at Brentley for quite some time. "_What could one lunch hurt_?" he thought, shrugging to himself before responding, "Sure Regina, that sounds great – meet me here after my 11:00?"

Satisfied that she'd gotten him to say yes, Regina confirmed with a smile before walking away, already thinking of a private and intimate place she could get the new professor to for their lunch date.

As Danny made his way down the hallway toward his office, he heard what sounded like two people bumping into each other, followed by papers scattering everywhere, and familiar voice saying, "Oh! I'm so sorry Dr. Roberson. Here, let me help you pick those up."

Danny stopped dead in his tracks, not trusting himself to turn around. He thought he was just imagining things – surely this could not be the same woman he'd met last night. As he continued his internal reverie, he heard the English Department Head laughing reassuringly at the incident.

"It's fine Miss Porter, no need to be embarrassed. Actually, I'm glad I ran into you. I wanted to introduce you to the professor you'll be assisting throughout the rest of the school year. His name is Mr. Desai, and he's teaching the 300 and 400 level English classes this time around – follow me and I'll take you to his office."

At that, Danny began walking quickly toward his office, wanting a moment to regain his composure before meeting his new TA. He was sure that it wasn't Lacey – it couldn't be – but he still needed a second before he met this 'Miss Porter'.

Just as he was getting settled, there was a knock on the door, followed by Dr. Roberson opening it slightly to stick his head in. "Danny, if you have a minute, there is someone I'd like you to meet."

Danny nodded his head in the affirmative, and stood to invite the man inside. He only had to wait a moment before she appeared in front of him, filling him instantly with both elation and dread.

"Danny Desai, I'd like to introduce you to your new teaching assistant for this school year – Lacey Porter."


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note:**

**Thank you guys again for the positive feedback – I appreciate it so much! Also thank you to the two readers who pointed out to me that there is, in fact, a story that explores the teacher/student dynamic for our favorite couple. I took the opportunity to look over it, but I don't plan on discontinuing this one. To be clear, my story is about an older version of Dacey, and as such Danny and Lacey are two consenting adults. I don't say that to throw shade at the other story (because I actually thought it was pretty good, and wondered why the author didn't finish), but to make a clear distinction. Everyone is legal here, and there will be no allusions to pedophilia – just so everyone is comfortable and clear. **

**Aside from that, I hope you all like this next chapter. I have been working on an update for Dangerous, but will have to wait until I get home to type it since it is NSFW. This I wrote during lunch – let me know what you think! **

**Chapter Three**

Lacey stared ahead of her, dumbfounded by what she saw. "_This cannot be happening_," she thought to herself as she felt her jaw go slack. She struggled to regain her composure quickly though, remembering that Dr. Roberson was standing there with her. Luckily, Danny saved the day before her signature awkwardness kicked in.

"Lacey – so good to meet you," he said, walking toward her and taking her hand in his to shake it. She felt him give her a gentle, reassuring squeeze as he introduced himself to her, and she began to relax, following his lead.

"Nice to meet you as well, Professor Desai," she said, blushing slightly and maintaining eye contact with him all the while. "I'm really looking forward to working with you this year."

Dr. Roberson stood next to the two, oblivious to their silent communication as he hooked his arm around Lacey's shoulders, addressing Danny jovially. "You've got the very best in our bunch this year, Danny," he said. "Lacey is our top student at Brentley – her brilliance even puts some of the staff to shame at times! We thought with your background, you would be the perfect choice to groom her for the world of academia – she plans on pursuing a career in the teaching field once she completes her education as well."

To this Danny raises his eyebrows, directing his attention back to Lacey. "Is that so?" he inquires. "In that case, I am delighted to have you. I only hope that I can live up to these high expectations Dr. Roberson seems to have set for me."

Lacey blushes again, but remains quiet as the two men exchange their final pleasantries and the department head excuses himself, still singing her praises as he exits the office, effectively leaving the two of them alone. For a moment they are both quiet, each unsure of what to say to the other. Lacey is both excited and confused to see him here. She had been thinking about him pretty much constantly since they'd met the evening before, wondering if or when she would see him again. However, she'd never dreamed that they would meet again under these circumstances. She was both intrigued by the idea of spending more time with him daily, and disappointed that he would now be her boss. She wasn't sure how he would feel about exploring their connection under those circumstances – truthfully she wasn't sure how she felt about it either. She felt almost foolish for giving him her number and the book the evening prior – surely there was no way he'd want to date her now. Maybe he wasn't that interested anyway. Maybe…

"So it looks like I don't have to wait until lunch to talk to you again," he said, his voice breaking through her internal reverie. "I have to say, though, of all the ways I was thinking of meeting you again, I never expected it to happen quite like this."

She laughed nervously, smoothing her pants and trying to avoid making contact with the arresting brown eyes in front of her. Was he still flirting with her? Or was that just in his nature to be charming and witty? She looked up from her fidgeting to see that his eyes were still on her, studying her with an expression she couldn't quite read.

"Well," she said with false confidence, "I didn't expect to see you either – at least not here, not now, at my new job…" Her confidence was faltering as she got caught up in his gaze once again. She noticed how dapper he looked today, in dark gray slacks, and a white button down but no tie. His gorgeous black hair was pulled back into a sleek bun at the nape of his neck, and he had shaven this morning, giving him a much more polished and professional look than the one he'd sported at the bookstore the evening prior. Somehow though, she thought he looked even more perfect than he had when they'd met initially. Something about the office setting, surrounded by books and abstract artwork seemed to fit him well. He truly appeared to be the perfect man – an academic mind, but also so personable and warm. She bit her lip as she watched him absently push a stray tendril of his hair away from his face, and looked away suddenly when she heard him take in a sharp breath.

"Well, are you going to tell me what you're thinking, Miss Porter?" he asked, his voice thick and deep. She wasn't sure what to tell him, or what to think, but luckily, she was saved from having to respond by a knock at the door. Before he had the chance to answer, the door swung open and Regina Crane breezed in as if she owned the place.

"Hello Regina," he said politely, standing as she entered the room. "How can I help you?"

"Oh, Danny – I didn't mean to interrupt you," the redhead said with false sincerity, immediately noting that Lacey was in the room. "I just wanted to check and see if Italian would be okay with you for lunch today. There's a great little eatery in Cloverdale that I just know you'd love…"

"That sounds fine, Regina," Danny said, cutting her off as he watched the previously happy expression on Lacey's face fall at the mention of their lunch date. "Just email me the info please – I'm having a meeting with my new TA before classes start. Have you met Lacey Porter?"

"Lacey? Well, yes of course I know Lacey – she's our resident golden child in this department," Regina said, her comment tinged with just the slightest hint of disdain for the younger girl. "Looks like you've lucked out, Danny. Dr. Roberson has given you his prized student to work with for the semester."

To Lacey, she turned and said, "So glad to see you back this semester Lacey. We weren't sure you would be returning after that terrible incident last spring. I hope you've put your demons behind you and are ready to get back in the swing of things."

Mortified by the older woman's statement, Lacey froze and said nothing. Regina, satisfied that she'd embarrassed the younger girl, simply gave a small smile and patted her arm as she walked out the door. "See you at noon, Danny – check your email in a few."

Immediately Danny could sense the shift of mood in the room, and he began to mentally kick himself for ever agreeing to the lunch with Regina. "Lacey, that wasn't what it sounded like," he began to say, trying desperately to remove the crestfallen expression from her beautiful face.

"It's fine, Danny," she said, refusing to look at him as she gathered her things to leave. "I didn't know you were dating anyone, but I guess I shouldn't have assumed you were single. I never would have pegged you for the type to go for a bimbo like Regina Crane, though, but I guess I don't really know you that well since we only just met last night and only talked about books while we were there."

Danny waited patiently for her to take a breath, breaking into her ramble, "Lacey, stop. I'm not dating Regina – she just asked me to lunch today as a way to welcome me in. And I accepted because I thought it would be a good idea for me to establish a good rapport with my colleagues. I am single – I'm not dating anyone. I was hoping that would change after last night but… I'm not really sure what to do about us now that I know you're a student of mine…"

"I'm actually not your student," Lacey broke in, changing the subject. "I've already taken all of the classes that you're instructing this semester and am working on 500 level English classes. And you're fooling yourself if you think that Regina Crane only wants to 'establish a good rapport' with you," she said, using air quotes for additional emphasis. "That woman is a barracuda and she only wants one thing from you – I assure you, sir, that it is not your company at a local eatery she found on Yelp a few minutes ago."

Danny stood back in amazement, more than turned on by the fiery nature of the beautiful woman in front of him. He loved her attitude, and felt that he was getting to know her a little bit better with every word that came from her mouth. "Well, since you're not my student," he ventured carefully, "how about letting me take you out to dinner this evening? You could show me a non-touristy place to eat, and we could get to know each other a little better, since it looks like we will be spending a lot of time together over the next few months."

Lacey hesitated, visibly contemplating his offer. She still hadn't made up her mind about how she felt about working with Danny, but she couldn't deny that she was very much attracted to the man. She decided that dinner was safe, because they could always brush it off as taking some time to go over their plans for teaching this semester. She agreed to have dinner with him, and Danny, elated at the prospect of spending time with Lacey outside of work, eagerly began to plan their evening.

* * *

The rest of the day went off mostly without a hitch. The only awkward moments were his lunch with Regina where the woman – just as Lacey had predicted – spent the entire time trying to seduce Danny. He knew exactly what she was doing, and made no secret about his disinterest in her. Still, she didn't seem to get the hint, and kept pushing more and more.

Finally, frustrated at his continued rebuffs, she asked him. "What gives, Danny? Are you dating someone or something? Because I've been trying to get you to see how wonderful I am all afternoon and you won't even play along with me at all."

"Since you mention it, Regina, yes there is someone. We've only recently met, so I wouldn't exactly say that we are dating, but I want to see where things go with her and I don't want to do anything that might mess things up between us so soon. I would appreciate it if you could please respect that."

Regina listened and pretended to pay attention to Danny's words, but she knew they were just that – words. Regina had a knack for getting anything and everything that she wanted – Danny Desai would not be any different. She simply had to think of a way to make him see reason, and to eliminate any competition she might have.

After lunch, Danny had three afternoon classes back to back, all of which Lacey attended to assist him with. They went back to his office at the end of the day, laughing and talking and generally enjoying themselves. Lacey couldn't believe how effortless their chemistry was, and really allowed herself to think that maybe they could make thing work between them after all.

* * *

As the day drew to a close, Lacey gathered her things and said goodbye to Danny, promising to meet him later for dinner. She sighed blissfully to herself as she walked down the hallway toward the exit of the building, but stopped short when she saw Regina waiting for her not too far outside of Danny's office.

"Did you have a good day, Lacey?" Regina asked, staring the younger woman down as she leaned against the wall.

"Yes, actually I did," Lacey said sincerely. "Danny is a great teacher, and I know I'm going to learn a lot from him this semester."

"I'm sure," Regina said sweetly, still eyeing Lacey. "Just make sure you don't get too attached to him. It wouldn't look good, you know, given your history. I'd hate to think of Danny not getting a shot at the tenure he clearly deserves because a silly little undergrad has some delusions of grandeur. Also, don't forget that you're still on probation yourself after what happened with Archie last spring. I'd hate to see you throw everything you've worked so hard for over a silly little crush… again."

With that, Regina smiled and pushed herself off the wall, sauntering away and leaving Lacey speechless and confused. She hated to think about the incident from before – hated for anyone to think that she was still that girl. She also hated the idea of Danny ever finding out about it, although she was sure that he would eventually. "_Maybe Regina's right_," she thought as she walked out of the building and across the quad to her dorm, "_Maybe I'm just being delusional. This thing with Danny is never going to work. I need to just cut this short now and spare myself the pain_."

With those thoughts in mind, she reached into her pocket to find a text from Danny, letting her know he was looking forward to their dinner. As much as she hated to, she knew this was the best option for them both. She quickly texted him an excuse for why she wouldn't be able to go – one of those "something suddenly came up" things. Then she prayed to God that she was doing the right thing, and that she would be okay with this decision later on down the road.


	4. Chapter 4

**AN - I apologize, you guys, for the long wait. I actually uploaded this to the doc manager last week and thought I'd published it. Since I didn't, here is your next chapter... you guys may even get two updates today since I kept you waiting.**

**Also, I know some of you are waiting for my Dangerous update - I promise it's coming. I just want to make sure it's my best work before I publish it. Anyway, back to these two:**

**Chapter Four**

Danny sat at the restaurant bar, swirling the ice around the bottom of his glass and generally feeling sorry for himself. He looked at his phone for the umpteenth time tonight, hoping that it would be a message from Lacey. She'd texted him four hours prior, cancelling their dinner plans with a flimsy excuse about "forgetting that she needed to do something for her roommate". Danny hadn't given her a hard time about it, but he couldn't hide that he was disappointed. He knew that she was simply making up an excuse to avoid him, and that knowledge frustrated him beyond belief. "_I don't understand_," he thought as cleared the last dregs of whiskey from his glass before signaling the bartender for a refill, "_we have such amazing chemistry. Why does she insist on being so hot and cold with me_?"

"Careful there son," the bartender said, eyeing Danny as he poured his third drink for the evening, "wouldn't want to have to take your keys."

"No worries, sir," Danny said to the older man, "I'm walking tonight."

The bartender looked Danny over for a few seconds longer before briefly nodding his head and turning his attention to the next customer. Danny turned his attention back to his whiskey and to his thoughts. He kept replaying the day over and over in his mind, trying to figure out what had happened. Had he come on too strong? Had he overestimated Lacey's interest in him? What made her change her mind between the time she left his office and the time that she'd texted him? And most importantly, how could he change it back?

Danny spent the rest of his night shuffling those questions around in his mind, trying to make sense of them. After one more drink, he decided he'd had enough, and made his way home through the streets of Green Grove. Once he got to his apartment, he went straight to bed, crashing easily under the influence of the alcohol.

The next morning Danny woke with a start. His head was pounding and he felt dizzy when he sat up. Although he'd slept soundly throughout the night, it was not a restful sleep. He'd had a series of convoluted dreams, none of which he could remember now. The only thing he could recall from the dreams were the memory of her… never fully her face, but flashes of flowing dark hair or deep brown eyes, just enough to let him know she was there.

"Shake it off, Desai," he mumbled to himself as he got up to shower. He wasn't sure what the day would bring, but he wanted to be prepared to face Lacey one way or the other.

* * *

Lacey also woke up late that morning, having cried herself to sleep the night before. Once she was up and out of the shower, she went to her mirror to survey the damage. Her impromptu sob fest from the evening prior had left her eyes bloodshot red, her nose stuffy, and her cheeks puffy. She wished she could just get back into bed and forget the day, but she knew that would not be in her best interest. Dr. Roberson had done her a favor by allowing her to take this job while she was only a junior, and she did not want to risk screwing that up. Still, she could think of a million reasons why she was not looking forward to seeing Danny today.

"This job is your priority, Lacey," she said to herself in a weak attempt at a mental pep talk. Her brief encounter with Regina Crane the day before had shaken her more than she wanted to admit, though, and now she worried about the things Regina had said to her.

"Does everyone still think that about me?" she wondered as she chose an outfit for the day. "Does everyone still think that I'm mentally unstable because of him? What if Danny finds out? Oh God, what if someone has already told him?"

Lacey worked to keep a cool head, unwilling to ruin all of the hard work she did on concealing the vestiges of last night's tears on her face with fresh ones. Instead she forced herself to breathe normally, focusing on the issue in front of her – what to wear today? After several moments of frustrated contemplation, she chose a simple A-line dress in a muted green color and a pair of modest camel-colored heels. She swept her long hair up in her signature bun and grabbed her red glasses, knowing her eyes were too irritated to deal with the hassle of contacts today. She had on only the barest minimum of makeup, but felt that the understated look matched her mood. She looked at herself in the mirror, and although she could appreciate that she looked nice, she also knew that this particular look was altogether unremarkable. Her goal was to blend in, and she felt fully prepared to do that as she headed off to her first class.

* * *

Danny was disappointed that Lacey did not immediately come to his office that morning, but he was not surprised. He'd had a feeling that she would try and avoid him after cancelling on him the night before, so her absence was not unexpected. He knew she couldn't avoid him forever, though, as she was scheduled to be in attendance for his three afternoon classes that day. His morning passed by uneventfully, with him working quietly in his office at arranging assignments and reviewing the introductory papers his students had written for him the day prior. He was so engrossed in his work that he did not notice how much time had passed by until Lacey stepped into his office.

"Um, Danny? Are we having class today?" she said, biting her bottom lip as she looked around the room at anything but him.

"Hello Lacey," he responded, his tone warm but guarded. He was happy to see her, but also apprehensive at the same time. Her body language was very closed off, and her refusal to look at him made him wonder again what had happened to cause this drastic change in atmosphere between them. He walked over to stand in front of her, brushing his hand lightly across her arm as he did so. "Yes, we will be having class today – we still have a few minutes before we need to head over, though, so I was wondering if we could chat for just a minute."

Not waiting for her refusal or rebuff, he dove straight in to the question that had been on his mind all day. "So, are you going to tell me why you cancelled on me last night?"

She continued to stare into space, deliberately avoiding making eye contact with him as he waited patiently for her answer to his question. Sensing that he wasn't going to let this go without some sort of explanation, Lacey began reciting the words she'd practiced in her head all morning.

"Look Danny, you're a great guy, and under other circumstances this might have worked out differently. But I take my job very seriously, and I don't want to do anything to jeopardize it. Especially not for some silly…" her words trailed off as Danny brought his hand to her face, moving her chin slightly and forcing her to at least look at him.

"Some silly what?" he asked, his piercing eyes looking into hers for some explanation for her sudden change in attitude. She was so secretive, he felt like he never knew what was really on her mind. Even now, when she was giving him some bullshit speech about professionalism and wanting to maintain the integrity of their work relationship, he knew it wasn't the truth. There was something else about him that had sent her running, but he knew looking into her eyes that he wouldn't be able to convince her to give him a chance by pushing the issue.

"… So I think it's best if we just maintain a professional working relationship." She finished, looking at him steadily with false determination. He waited a moment before responding, pretending that he was considering what she'd said but actually just enjoying the opportunity to look at her beautiful face openly for a few minutes more.

"Okay Lacey, whatever you want," he said finally, sighing to himself as he turned from her to collect the papers for their next class session. "Let's go teach these kids about literature, Miss Porter."


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

From that point on Danny and Lacey settled into a comfortable working relationship with each other. He was still very much interested in pursuing her, but he'd decided that he would move only when she was ready. In the meantime the pair spent hours with one another each day, working and learning from each other. Over the next two months, Danny was able to really see Lacey in action. He was impressed by how well she lived up to the hype from Dr. Roberson and the others in the English department – she truly had a brilliant mind. He loved the creative ideas she had for the material they had to cover in his classes, and he was always open to her suggestions for making them more interesting. She was truly a born teacher, and the more time he spent with her, the more Danny regarded her as a colleague and contemporary instead of a student under his care.

Lacey was aware of the changing dynamic between the two of them as well, although she didn't quite know what to make of it. She loved spending time with Danny, and loved how much she was learning from him. He was a gifted teacher, and the passion and zeal he had for his profession clearly showed in his work. He valued Lacey and her input within the context of the classroom, and he challenged her to think critically about any of the topics they would discuss. Her sharp mind was able to match his blow for blow during their many verbal sparring matches about literature or philosophy, and his tender nature took over during their more quiet moments. Lacey told herself that they were maintaining a level of professional distance, but the truth was that she was falling in love with Danny a little more each day.

* * *

While Danny and Lacey were busy falling for one another, Regina Crane was busy with attempting to snag him for herself. She tried all of the tricks that she knew, from doting on him in the office, wearing the tightest skirts and highest heels, and otherwise making herself completely available. She became more and more frustrated as, no matter how hard she tried, nothing she did seemed to faze him. The more she worked to get his attention, it seemed, the more determined he was to ignore her.

Regina, although completely oblivious to Danny's lack of interest toward her, was keenly aware of the budding attraction between the man and his lovely TA Lacey. She'd seen them sharing a private moment on more than one occasion, and noted with disdain the marked difference in their demeanors when they thought that no one was looking. Although nothing she'd witnessed could be characterized as "inappropriate behavior" according to the college's Honor Code, Regina knew that Danny was walking a fine line with Lacey, and she felt it was her duty to warn him about just exactly what he was getting into with her. Now she just needed an opportunity...

That opportunity came during midterm week in October. Lacey had not been as present in the department this week, instead opting to focus on her own tests. Danny missed her infectious smile and laughter around his office and classroom, but was understanding about her need to be as committed to her education as she was to her job. He was sitting at his desk, busily grading papers for the midterm assignment he'd had his students submit when Regina walked in.

"Good afternoon, Danny," she said in a sing-song voice as she let herself in without knocking, and approached his desk. Danny looked up momentarily, giving the woman a cursory nod before returning his attention back to his work.

"I just wanted to ask you if you'd like to join some of us for drinks tonight at the bar over on Lennox. It's kind of a department tradition to help us take off some of the edge during midterms week. I'd love for you to be my date for the evening…" she trailed off, letting the proposition hang in the air as she gave him her most seductive look.

Danny however, was unmoved by Regina's antics. "Actually, Regina, I wouldn't, but thank you for the invitation."

"Is this about the woman you're kindasortabutnotreally dating, Danny?" When he didn't answer, she put her hands on her hips in a tantrum like fashion and huffed loudly. "You know, I'm only trying to look out for you. This "mystery woman" of yours is someone no one around here has ever even seen. It's all very suspicious – especially considering how much time you spend with Lacey Porter."

Although Danny immediately caught on to Regina's insinuation, he did not give her the response he felt she was so obviously looking for. "I don't know what you're talking about Regina – Lacey and I are colleagues. She's a brilliant girl, and I love being her mentor, but that's the extent of our relationship. There is nothing inappropriate going on between Lacey and me."

"Whatever you say, Danny," Regina said flippantly, pretending to no longer care about the conversation. "But it's only fair to warn you – you may want to seriously rethink how close you become to that girl. They say she's brilliant, but she's really just unstable. You may not have feelings for her, but she most definitely has romantic intentions toward you. You have such a promising career here – I would hate for you to end up like Archie."

Danny was momentarily confused, having no idea what Regina was talking about. "Who is Archie?" he asked, his eyebrows knitting together as he tried to figure out just what Regina was getting at.

"Archie Yates was a student that attended school here up until last spring. He was a charming kid, very handsome, very popular – everyone liked him… including your Lacey. She pursued him relentlessly for the entire school year, and he finally said yes to taking her on a date. They went out once or twice, but he wasn't as interested in her as she was in him. So he tried to break things off with her but… she didn't want to let go. It all came to a head during finals week, when she had some sort of breakdown and she snapped. I won't go into the details of that incident, but suffice it to say, she was disciplined by the academic standards committee, and Archie opted to leave school instead of returning here to deal with her for another school year."

Danny's mind worked overtime to process this information. Was Regina telling the truth? Is that the reason that Lacey was always so guarded when talking about her past or her personal relationships? He had a hard time believing that Lacey was as crazy as Regina was making her out to be, but he knew there had to be at least some truth to her story, and he needed to talk to Lacey to figure it all out. For now, though, he would just let it lie.

"Well, that's an interesting story Regina," he said, running his hands through his long hair as he searched his mind for some other, more reasonable explanation for what she'd just told him. "But I'd hate to make a rash judgment on Lacey's character based on just a story. Do you have any proof of this? You know, so I can be prepared if she begins to act strangely toward me?"

"Well, just take a look at the disciplinary committee files on the intranet portal," Regina said, pleased that he had taken the bait. "Her hearing with the fact-finding board was in May of last year, so if you look in that time period, you should be able to find out everything that the college knows about the incident."

"Thank you Regina, I'll do that. Now, do you mind excusing me? I need to get back to grading these papers."

"Of course Danny," the redhead said, smiling triumphantly, "Anything for a friend."

With that, she sauntered out of the office and left Danny to his thoughts.

* * *

After his visit with Regina, he could no longer concentrate on grading. He didn't want to believe what Regina had said to him, but he couldn't get the story out of his mind. Could Lacey really be that unstable? Surely not – surely there was a reasonable explanation for everything that he'd heard. He didn't want to ask Lacey about it though, at least not without first having looked into the situation himself. Maybe Regina was wrong…

Finally, after several torturous minutes, Danny's curiosity got the best of him and he decided to look into Regina's story. He logged on to the secure portion of the school's system and went to the disciplinary committee's portal. He searched the archives, finally coming upon Lacey's file. He hesitated momentarily, unsure of whether or not he should read what was contained within. After a few minutes of deliberation, he decided to go ahead and open the file.

Danny's eyes poured over the report, which was a summary of findings by the committee board. He became more and more concerned as he read the initial complaint made against Lacey. Words like "stalking" and "harassment" and "psychologically unstable" jumped out at him as he scanned the document. He was so engrossed in what he'd found that he didn't hear Lacey enter the office. He was only alerted to her presence when he heard an audible gasp, followed by the clattering of something falling to the ground. He turned quickly in his chair, unsure of what her state of mind would be. He'd expected her to be angry that he had been snooping through her personal files, but instead, all he saw on her face was heartbreak. He barely had time to get any words out before she sprinted away from the room and down the hallway.


	6. Chapter 6

**AN - Hey guys! Since I didn't get to do two updates yesterday, I decided to go ahead and give them to you today as a thank you for your awesome support and reviews. Also, as a special treat, I made this chapter super long (like, 3015 words long - BEFORE the AN!). So, happy reading and enjoy! I am really loving this story and I'm glad that you guys are too! **

**Chapter Six**

Lacey could barely breathe as she made her way out of the English building as quickly as possible. She refused to even allow herself a moment to think, already aware that if she gave herself time in a moment like this that she would fall apart. She could not afford to have a break down here, in this building, in the middle of campus… especially not after…

"_Oh my God_," she thought to herself morosely. "_How did he know? How did he find out? How did I not think that this would happen_?"

Lacey felt like a fool for believing that she could leave the past behind her, and was now absolutely mortified that the one person she cared about more than anyone else knew her deepest darkest secrets. She ran blindly through the campus to her apartment, not thinking about anything as she made her way to her little safe space. She only wanted to be alone, and she did not want to deal with the inevitable fallout that would happen the next time she saw Danny. When she arrived at the apartment, she blew past Sarita without even bothering to speak – too afraid that if she said anything the last bit of sanity she was holding onto would slip away and she would completely lose it. Luckily, today Sarita let her be, not bothering to knock when Lacey slammed the door to her bedroom, firmly isolating herself on the other side.

* * *

Danny, in his own confused state, remained in his office, completely dumbfounded. He wanted to go after Lacey, but he wasn't sure what his best course of action was given the circumstances. Instead, he went back to reading the report, trying to get a clearer picture of the situation before approaching her. He read through the rest of the summary, but was unable to glean from it the entire story of what had happened. Much of the document had been redacted, and only the summary and victim's complaint were viewable for him. Danny found this odd, but did not want to give it much thought. Instead, he focused his attention on Lacey. He knew that he needed to check on her to make sure that she was okay, but he was afraid that if he called her, she wouldn't answer. Since it was Thursday evening and the college did not have classes on Fridays, he knew that he wouldn't see Lacey again for several days unless he was proactive in his approach. Still, part of him was deeply disturbed by what he'd read. He couldn't quite reconcile the idea that the beautiful, gentle woman he'd fallen for over the last few months was really a psychotic nut job with stalker-like tendencies. He had already ascertained that she had been burned deeply by something that had happened to her in her past, but he had never in a million years imagined this. He knew that there was more to the story, and he needed Lacey to fill in the blanks for him.

Danny knew from casual conversations with Lacey that she lived in the small student apartments near the edge of the campus. He quickly logged back into the intranet and looked up her student information profile. He resisted the urge to delve any further into her personal information, stopping only to determine where her on-campus mail was directed. He scribbled down the apartment number on a sticky note and grabbed his keys and jacket before heading out the door.

As he made his way across campus, Danny tried calling and texting Lacey several times. When she did not answer, he began to doubt himself. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea – maybe he should give her a day or two to calm down. Each time he began to lose his resolve, however, he imagined the broken look on her face when she discovered him reading the report, and he knew he needed to get a rein in on this thing as soon as possible.

He parked his car in front of Lacey's building, giving himself a mental pep talk before he went in. Once he'd sufficiently worked up the nerve to approach her apartment, he got out of his car and walked up to her door. He knocked twice loudly before the door swung open wide and he was greeted by a petite and surly looking Latina woman.

"Yes, may I help you?" the girl said, eyeing Danny warily as she tried to figure out who he was and why he was at her door. She hadn't been expecting company, nor had she ever seen this man before. That meant only one thing – he was here for Lacey. Judging by the distressed look on his face now and the heartbroken demeanor of her friend earlier, Sarita figured this must be the reason for Lacey's distress.

"Ah… I'm here to see Lacey?" Danny said, stumbling slightly over the words. He tried to maintain his composure, but the woman in front of him was setting him completely ill at ease. He couldn't get over how someone so small could be so intimidating, but he had to admit he was a little afraid of her right now. Her sharp eyes flashed at him as he said Lacey's name, and her tense body language made him think that she may jump at him at any given moment.

"Are you the asshole that has my friend crying in her room right now?" Sarita asked venomously, fully prepared to bite his head off for whatever he'd done to hurt Lacey.

"Yeah, I think that'd be me," Danny said, looking down at his shoes sheepishly. "But it isn't what she thinks… Please, can I talk to her for a minute? I need to explain, and I need to hear her side of the story. Can you please just tell her Danny is here?"

"You're Danny, huh?" Sarita asked, suddenly appraising him with new eyes. She could see why Lacey was so smitten with the man, and wondered what in the world he could have done to make Lacey so sad. "You don't look like a grade-A jerk… of course, neither did the last one, and we see how well that ended up…"

Sarita noticed the growing discomfort on Danny's face. "She didn't tell you what happened, did she?" Watching him for a reaction, she continued, "But I'm assuming you found out anyway – or at least part of it. Is that what she's so devastated about now?"

Danny nodded his head in affirmation for Sarita. "I just want to talk to her – I read what the report said, but there was a lot missing. I know that can't be the Lacey that I know… but she ran away from me before even talking to me about it. I just want to make sure that she's alright."

"She will be alright," Sarita said, moving aside and waving Danny in. "She's just really sensitive. Everything in that report is a lie, but she's very sensitive about talking about it."

"Can you tell me what happened, please?" Danny asked as he sat down on the couch. "I just want to understand."

Then it was Sarita's turn to look uncomfortable. "I don't think that I should. When she's ready, she will tell you… I know you want answers, but they aren't mine to give you."

"It's okay Rita," Lacey said quietly, startling both people as she entered the little common room. "I may as well go ahead and get this over with."

Sarita excused herself quietly and went to her room as Lacey sat down in the armchair opposite the sofa Danny was currently occupying. She was very quiet for a long while, and he followed suit, not wanting to upset her more. She looked so broken and hurt, it took everything in him not to take her in his arms and comfort her right then… but he resisted because he didn't know how she would react or where they were in their relationship at that point.

Finally, after a few long moments, Lacey spoke. "So, why are you here, Danny?"

"I wanted to see how you were doing, Lace. I wanted to check on you since you ran out of the office so quickly earlier. I just wanted to make sure you were okay."

"You mean you wanted to make sure I wasn't having another psychotic break?" she said snarkily, the disgust evident on her face as she said the words.

"I don't think… honestly Lacey, right now I don't know what to think. I don't believe you're insane, but that report… it was pretty unsettling. I wanted to hear from you what happened, but more importantly, I just wanted to make sure that you're okay now."

Lacey looked at Danny searchingly for a few moments, trying to determine his level of sincerity. After seeing the plaintive look on his face, she decided that he was being sincere in what he was saying. She figured if he was willing to come find her in her apartment to talk to her about it, that she at least owed him the truth – even if it was embarrassingly painful for her.

"Okay Danny, here it is…" and with that, she began telling him the sordid story of her relationship with Archie Yates. She told him about how she had always been something of a nerdy girl (just as she was the night they met) and that men rarely ever paid her very much attention. She talked about how surprised she was when Archie approached her and asked her out on a date, but that she'd had a crush on him for so long that she immediately said yes without thinking it all the way through. After that they began dating, which they continued for months, albeit in secret. She admitted that she wasn't ever fully comfortable with their dating in private, but that she went along with it because she really cared about Archie.

"Looking back on it now, I should have realized how stupid it all was, but at the time all I saw was that this gorgeous guy wanted me. He was so sweet and attentive when we were together _– _I didn't want to ruin things by demanding to be taken out in public. He was the first guy that had ever made me feel that way, and I didn't want to let it go – even though I knew something wasn't right."

Lacey told Danny how Archie had started changing toward her as the school year came to an end. He was colder and more distant, and he began spending less and less time with her. He would never officially break things off with her, but he would break promises or say mean things… little things to push her away. It all came to a head during finals week. Lacey had been extremely stressed out due to the testing, and Archie had promised to meet her at the bookstore for a mini date. He'd never shown up though, and Lacey was tired of him going back on his word. She decided to confront him at his dorm room, consequences be damned. She left the bookstore and went to his dorm, but when she arrived, she found him in the arms of another woman. Furiously, she stalked up to him and asked him what the hell his problem was – who this girl was and why he had blown her off for their date earlier.

"It was terrible Danny," she said, breaking down into tears as she got to the worst part of the story. "He acted like he didn't even know me – like he didn't know what I was talking about! The girl – Phoebe, she said her name was – Phoebe was his fiance' from home! They'd been together since high school and were supposed to get married over the summer break. All that time we'd spent together, all that time I'd wasted on him, and he couldn't even acknowledge that he knew who I was!"

Lacey admitted that her anger got the best of her in that situation, and that she made the unfortunate decision to physically assault Archie. "Really, I only slapped him. He absolutely deserved it, but I should have been able to handle the situation better. I was just so humiliated and he was just standing there, looking uncomfortable and treating me like he had no idea who I was. Even when I brought up all the text messages and voicemails he'd sent me, he claimed to have no memory of anything…"

She explained that later she was brought in front of the disciplinary committee because of her having slapped Archie. He had filed a complaint with the school at his parents' request, accusing her of stalking and other erratic behavior, and he took absolutely no blame for anything that had transpired between them. Lacey had been very afraid that she would be expelled from school, especially because she knew that Archie's family was very influential within the Brentley community. In truth, she would have been expelled had she not been able to produce positive proof indicating that the relationship between she and Archie was mutual and that she was not, in fact, stalking him. She was able to provide the committee with examples of emails, text messages, phone calls, voicemails, photos, and cards and other momentos. Due to the severity of the accusations, as well as the complex political implications of the situation, the college thought it was best to simply sweep everything under the rug. Lacey did not receive any disciplinary sanctions, but she was strongly encouraged to take the summer semester off.

"When I came back in August, I was determined to put everything that happened with Archie behind me. I didn't want to think about him or what he'd done to me anymore. I spent the summer healing myself emotionally… and then I met you and you were so great and wonderful and for the first time in a long time, I actually felt comfortable enough to let myself think that something could happen between us. Then the complications came with work and Regina and still… still I kept thinking 'maybe'. But then today, finding you reading all those terrible things about me… it was like a wake up call. And it hurt…"

Lacey began crying again as Danny reached for her, pulling her into his lap on the sofa. "Shhhhhh…." He whispered soothingly, running his fingers up and down her arm softly as he rocked her back and forth in his arms. "It's okay Lacey. I'm so sorry that you had to go through that, but promise you I'm not him. I'm not going to hurt you. I care about you so much… I just want you to give me a chance. Let me show you how you deserve to be treated."

Lacey looked up from Danny's shoulder and into his eyes, searching for any signs of deceit there. She found none though – all that she saw reflected back at her was love and compassion.

"Do you trust me?" Danny said, his voice low and thick. He wanted so badly to kiss her, but he needed to know that she was ready. He waited as she looked at him, silently deliberating whether or not she was ready to take that step with him. After a moment, she decided that she was, and she nodded her consent to him.

Needing no further convincing, Danny moved closer to her, taking her face in his strong hands and bringing her lips to his for a kiss. He was slow and gentle, making sure to control his enthusiasm. In his mind though, he felt as though life was being breathed into him for the first time in ages. Kissing Lacey was like turning his face toward the sun and feeling its awesome warmth grace his skin. Their kiss was both passionate and languid, exhibiting both their excitement at having finally arrived at this moment and their desire to take things slow and savor it.

After several long minutes, the two finally broke apart, resting their foreheads against one another as they exchanged matching smiles. "So that's what I've been waiting on this whole time?" Danny asked as he tried to regulate his breathing. Lacey laughed at his joke, kissing him again lightly and hopping off his lap. Danny immediately felt the loss, and it showed on his face.

Lacey smiled again as she got off the couch. She grabbed Danny's hand and led him down the hallway to her bedroom. Understanding her intention, Danny became suddenly apprehensive again. "Lacey, are you sure you're ready for this? You're vulnerable after all that you've been through today, and I don't want to rush through things. We can…"

Lacey turned to him, placing a finger over his lips and effectively stopping him midsentence. "Relax Danny," she said, "I just want you to stay with me tonight. It's late and I'm tired and I just want you here with me when I wake up tomorrow. Is that okay?"

"Sure Lace, whatever you need. Whatever you want," he responded as she turned again and continued down the hall. They reached the threshold to her bedroom and she led them inside, closing the door behind him and effectively shutting the whole world away. They undressed just enough to be comfortable – he in his boxers and tee shirt and she in a camisole/boyshorts combo – and then they climbed into her small but luxurious queen sized bed. She snuggled in next to him, pulling his arms around her tightly. They lay like that for the rest of the night, talking and exploring each other in this new context. Finally, after what felt like hours, Lacey's exhaustion got the best of her and she fell asleep still cradled in Danny's arms. He stroked her hair gently, watching her beautiful form as she slept soundly against him. He leaned down to kiss her again gently, whispering a soft "I love you, Lacey" before drifting off to sleep himself.


End file.
